The association between remarriage and HIV infection in 13 sub-Saharan African countries
de Walque, D.; Kline, R.
Studies in Family Planning 43(1): 1-10
2012
ISSN/ISBN: 0039-3665 PMID: 23185867 DOI: 10.1111/j.1728-4465.2012.00297.xDocument Number: 565649
Separated, divorced, and widowed individuals in Africa are at significantly increased risk for HIV infection. Using nationally representative data from 13 sub-Saharan African countries, this study confirms that finding and goes further by examining those who have experienced a marital dissolution and are now remarried. Results show that remarried individuals form a large portion of the population and have a higher-than-average HIV prevalence. HIV-positive remarried individuals are at risk of transmitting the infection to their spouse, because many of the couples are serodiscordant. The large number of high-risk remarried individuals is a source of vulnerability and further infection, and should be acknowledged and taken into account by prevention strategies that rarely address this population.
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